Thai Chicken Soup

Brrrr, it's cold outside.  Guess that means it's time for soup.  Here's one of my favorites.  The following recipe my own version of a few I've tried before, but I never hold on to recipes, so I end up having to re-create them.  I think I've done a good job.  O.K., let's get started.

What you need:

2lbs chicken (a little less is o.k.)

28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes

14oz can coconut milk

32oz of chicken broth

2 Tbs green curry paste.

4 (+/-) cloves garlic

8-10 Shallots

2 large rouset potatos

3 carrots (medium size)

1 stick lemon grass

1-2 small hot peppers

olive oil

1 small lime

some thai basil if you have it

1- 1 1/2 cups brown rice

Now, to put it all together:

First, most importantly, crank some tunes!!

Now that you are rocking, time to get cooking.   Mince the garlic, mince a little bit (2-3 inch section) of the lemon grass, and mix it together with the curry paste in a small dish.  Set aside.  Finely chop the challots, and set aside.  Cube the potatoes and chop the carrots and set aside.  In a large soup pot, heat 3-4Tbs of olive oil over medium high heat.  When oil is hot, add the curry paste mixture, stir around, and after 15+ seconds add the challots.  Mix up for a good minute + (enough time for the challots to soften), and then add the can of tomatoes.  Mix up and smash the tomatoes into smaller pieces.   Add the chicken broth, carrots, potatoes, and chilli's.  Cut the remaining lemon grass into 3-4 inch pieces and add to the pot.  Add the chicken.  Bring to simmer and reduce heat to medium low.  Cook on medium low for 30 minutes with a top half on.  Start the rice.  After 30 minutes add the coconut milk, basil and squeeze half a lime into it (use the other half for a Gin & Tonic).  Cook until carrots and potatoes are soft.

Put a scoop of rice in the bottom of a bowl and ladle in the soup.  Time to eat!!

I often make a big batch and freeze the leftovers (just dump excess rice into soup).  This works great!